The Britain-based monitor, which has a large network of sources on the ground in Syria, said gunmen „rapped on the doors of houses in the village and shot at people using handguns equipped with silencers“ before fleeing.
(…)
Syrian newspaper Al-Watan, quoting a security source in Hama, said security forces „are surrounding the Arzah area to hunt the criminals“ behind the killings.
Archiv: Syrien / Syria
U.S.-Imperium will „globale Koalition“ für Terrorkrieg 2.0 und bastelt an „Nachrüstung“ der Kriegsvollmacht aus 2001
(September 2, 2014)
Auf dem Gipfel des Nordatlantikpakts in Wales wird es weniger um Russland als um die Frage gehen, mit welcher schwachsinnigen Ausrede nun die N.A.T.O. den am 4. Oktober 2001 ausgerufenen „kollektiven Verteidigungsfall“ aufrechterhalten will.
Eine Option: Noch mehr Eroberungen islamischer Staaten, wegen dem „Islamischen Staat“.
President Barzani, anti-ISIS coalition commander discuss ISIS ‘dangers’
When ISIS seized swathes of Iraqi land in 2014, Peshmerga played a key role in driving the extremist group out of the areas disputed between Erbil and Baghdad, especially Kirkuk. The US-led global coalition provided Peshmerga and Iraqi forces with military assistance to defeat ISIS territorially, which was completed in 2017.
Barzani and Leahy also discussed the latest developments in Syria and their impact on neighboring countries.
Regime change in Syria has Iraqi factions backtracking on push for US withdrawal
(January 31, 2025)
The U.S. and Iraq announced an agreement last year to wind down the military mission in Iraq of an American-led coalition fighting the Islamic State group by September 2025, with U.S. forces departing some bases where they have stationed troops during a two-decade-long military presence in the country. (…)
But the fall of Assad in a lightning offensive led by Sunni Islamist rebels in December led some to reassess that stance, including members of the Coordination Framework, a coalition of mainly Shiite, Iran-allied political parties that brought current Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammad Shia al-Sudani to power in late 2022.
Satellite images show Israel building military bases in Syria buffer zone
(February 3, 2025)
Israel is building military bases in the demilitarised buffer zone with Syria, according to satellite images seen by Al Jazeera’s Sanad verification unit.
The images were taken between December 19, 2024, just 11 days after Syria’s deposed President Bashar Al-Assad fled to Moscow, and February 1, 2025. They show six sites constructed in that time inside the buffer zone. Another is being constructed outside the buffer zone and inside Syrian territory.
Israel is building outposts in Syria, raising local fears of occupation
(February 2, 2025)
As the Israeli military swept into a string of Syrian villages nearly two months ago, the soldiers assured locals that the presence would be temporary — the aim limited to seizing weapons and securing the area after the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
But the earthmoving vehicles that followed suggest a more permanent presence.
U.S. Relies Heavily on Saudi Money to Support Syrian Rebels
(January 23, 2016)
In addition to Saudi Arabia’s vast oil reserves and role as the spiritual anchor of the Sunni Muslim world, the long intelligence relationship helps explain why the United States has been reluctant to openly criticize Saudi Arabia for its human rights abuses, its treatment of women and its support for the extreme strain of Islam, Wahhabism, that has inspired many of the very terrorist groups the United States is fighting. The Obama administration did not publicly condemn Saudi Arabia’s beheading this month of a dissident Shiite cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, who had challenged the royal family.
‘People in Our Government Supported Al-Qaeda’: Gabbard in Heated Exchange With Sen. Kelly
(January 30,2025)
“It was shocking and a betrayal to me and every person who was killed on 9/11, their families, and my brothers and sisters in uniform.” She continued, “When as a member of Congress, I learned about President Obama’s, dual programs that he had begun, really to overthrow the regime of Syria and being willing to, through the CIA’s Timber Sycamore program that has now been made public, of working with and arming and equipping Al Qaeda in an effort to overthrow that regime, starting yet another regime change war in the Middle East.”
Syrien-Krieg: Ist Russland ein Lakai der N.A.T.O.? Will es noch ein Blutbad in Asien?
(December 13, 2012)
Die neuesten Äußerungen von Sergej Lawrows Stellvertreter, Mikhail Bogdanov, sind ein weiteres, unleugbares Anzeichen dafür, dass die derzeitige Regierung in Moskau, wenn nicht sogar Russlands Präsident Wladimir Putin, bei der laufenden Invasion und Zerschlagung Syriens durch Proxy-Armeen einfallender Militärmächte – namentlich der Türkei, Frankreich, U.S.A., Großbritannien, sowie diverser asiatischer Kirchenstaaten und Monarchien – aktiv oder passiv kollaboriert.
Russian government delegation makes first official visit to Syria since Assad‘s fall
Following Assad’s downfall, Russia relocated its troops and assets from all over Syria to its main hub at the Hmeimim air base near Latakia. There has been no indication that Moscow was preparing to evacuate the Hmeimim base or the naval facility in Tartus altogether.
US-backed Syrian authorities conduct dozens of sectarian executions
SOHR reported earlier this month that at least 150 Alawites have been killed since the new government came to power. Heavy media censorship is being imposed, and the numbers are expected to remain on the rise. Alongside Alawites, members of the Christian community in Syria and their holy sites have been targeted.
In January, over 190 people were killed – including five women – in field executions or revenge killings, according to SOHR.
Israel is a rogue nation. It should be removed from the United Nations
(October 15, 2024)
One rogue nation cannot declare war on the UN itself and continue to get away with it
528,500 people killed in Syria since 2011
(January 2, 2025)
More than 528,500 people have been killed in the conflict in Syria since 2011, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported yesterday.
HTS raids and forced disappearances fuel fear in Syria’s Alawi heartlands
MEE is not aware of any evidence linking Assad’s departure to a deal with Israel. However, there have been reports suggesting that the former president shared sensitive military information with Israel in exchange for a guarantee of safe passage out of Syria.
Since the government collapsed, Israel has conducted hundreds of strikes on Syrian military positions nationwide and launched a ground invasion, capturing the entire buffer zone along the occupied Golan Heights and beyond.
The government, Hussem said, had the means to resist but chose not to, opting instead to flee and leave their officers to fend for themselves.
Syria: Mayor accused of Assad association executed
A photo was circulated of what was said to be Kneneh’s body tied to a tree trunk with what appeared to be a gunshot wound on his forehead and blood on the ground.
A video was circulated showing children beating him with a stick and kicking him in the head while he was tied to the tree trunk.
Doppelagent Putin
(15. April 2018)
Der nun erfolgte erneute Luftangriff gegen Syrien repräsentiert die Wiederholung einer Seifenoper aus dem letzten Jahr (11.04.2017, Wag the Russki). Drehbuch wie folgt:
– U.S. Präsident Donald Trump äußert in etwa “es hat nach Hunderttausenden von Toten keinen Sinn mehr die Invasion in Syrien mit terroristischen Proxy-Truppen und regulären eigenen Einheiten weiter fortzusetzen”,
– im Gebiet der terroristischen Proxies und Invasoren bei Ghouta ereignet sich ein fiktiver oder tatsächlicher Einsatz von Chemiewaffen,
– Trump dreht sich um 180 Grad und kündigt einen Militärschlag auf Syrien an,
– dieser erfolgt, mit Ankündigung und laut der französischen Verteidigungsministerin und einem anonymen Politiker über “Reuters” abermals mit Vorwarnung durch die Westmächte,
– die russische Flugabwehr tut nichts, gibt auch noch damit an und die syrische, die genau wie die russischen Militärs noch jedem Massaker gegen die eigenen und verbündeten Truppen aus Irak, Iran und Libanon zugesehen hat wie die Karnickel auf der Fahrbahn, behauptet dies und das.
Einer der wenigen Unterschiede zum letzten Jahr ist, dass sich neben Donald Trump mit Emmanuel Macron und Theresa May nun zwei weitere in ihrem Land hoch umstrittene Staatsleiter vor die Presse stellen und sagen können, sehet her, das haben sie nun davon, diese Russkis. Und Putin, der arme Putin, zitiert das Völkerrecht.
Dass die russische Staatsführung nie beabsichtigt hat Syrien gegen Luftangriffe zu verteidigen, sagte sie schon im letzten Jahr. Dass der russische Präsident jetzt von einer Verletzung der Souveränität Syriens redet, spricht Bände über dessen auch im Humor zum Ausdruck kommenden Grausamkeit. Der ganze Luftraum Syriens quillt über von irgendwelchen Kampfjets von Vancouver bis Wladivostok, seit Jahren. Noch einmal – hätte die Russische Föderation vor Beginn der Syrien-Invasion oder vor Beginn der Libyen-Invasion den dortigen Regimen eine Garantieerklärung gegeben, wie sie China letzten Sommer unter viel Gewimmer und Gebrumm endlich gegenüber Nordkorea abgab, wären Hunderttausende Menschen heute noch am Leben.
Assad‘s former aide says deposed Syrian president was ‚tricked‘ by Putin
“But what happened was that the Iranians told Bashar al-Assad, ‘we did not receive any signals to proceed with moving Iranian aircraft to the Hmeimim base [or to] fly through Iraqi airspace to land at the base,’” Saqr told Mazeej.
“The question was relayed to Moscow, but no answer came.”
When asked whether this was a “trick by Putin”, Saqr said there was “no other explanation”.
Saqr said the Iranians told Assad they sent a plane regardless through Iraq, but were warned by the US that the aircraft would be shot down if it continued.
Nagel Commission warns Israel of possible war with Turkey, even as it calls for confronting Iran
The „Committee for the Evaluation of the Defense Establishment Budget and the Balance of Power“ is led by former National Security Council head Yaakov Nagel, and is often referred to in Hebrew media as the Nagel Commission or Nagel Committee.
The commission was established in 2023 before the outbreak of the war, to create recommendations for the defense ministry regarding the possible areas of conflict facing Israel in the years ahead.
Israel must prepare for war with Turkey, gov committee warns
The Nagel Committee issued a report on Monday detailing the defence budget and security strategy, where they raised concerns over Turkey’s aspirations and possible future tensions with Israel, according to Israeli media.
The committee said these tensions could escalate into conflict and highlighted the risk of Syrian factions aligning with Turkey and creating further threats to Israel‘s „security“.
Peace with Israel Tops the Agenda for Syria’s New Leaders
(January 3. 2025)
Although the majority of high-ranking officials in the HTS-led administration refrain from making categorical claims about Israel, they constantly stress that Iran and Hezbollah, not Israel, are Syria’s main enemies.
(…)
Ayman Al-Asimi, a senior member of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) and former spokesperson for the Syrian opposition delegations during the Astana talks, made headlines with his remarks to BBC Arabic. He stated unequivocally that Syria’s only opponent is Iran.
From ‘Terrorist’ to ‘Freedom Fighter’: How the West Rebranded Al-Qaeda’s Jolani as Syria’s ‘Woke’ New Leader
(December 12, 2024)
In 2003, he went to Iraq to fight against American forces. After three years of war, he was captured by the U.S. military and spent over five years in prison, including a stint at the notorious Abu Ghraib torture center.
While in Iraq, Jolani fought with ISIS and was even a deputy to its founder. Immediately upon release in 2011, ISIS sent him to Syria with a rumored $1 billion to found the Syrian wing of al-Qaeda and participate in the armed protest movement against Assad that arose out of the Arab Spring.
Israel Launches Major Airstrikes Against North Syria
Israel may have backed that regime change, but it’s not stopping them from attacking Syria every chance they get. (…)
Israel used the regime change as a pretext to seize substantial land in the demilitarized zone between the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights and the rest of Syria. Since then they’ve moved deeper into Syria, and Wednesday they reached the al-Mantara Dam in Quneitra Province.
The dam is the largest in southern Syria, and gives them effective control over the six major sources of fresh water in southern Syria. They have also recently taken the al-Wahda Dam along the Yarmouk River Basin.
Controversy as Syria‘s de-facto ruler declines to shake hands with German FM Annalena Baerbock
Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot visited Syria in a sign of support for the transitional government, where they expressed willingness to help the war-torn country after Bashar al-Assad’s regime was toppled last month, making them the first European officials to do so.
German, French foreign ministers meet with Syria‘s HTS Islamist group
Syria‘s new de facto ruler and leader of the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) received an EU delegation led by German Foreign Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Friday.
Foreign Jihadists Appointed to Senior Positions in New Syrian Military
Syrian sources told Reuters that the foreign fighters appointed to the military include Uyghurs, a Jordanian, a Turk, and an Albanian. “This is a small token of recognition for the sacrifices Islamist jihadists gave to our struggle for freedom from Assad’s oppression,” an HTS source told the media outlet.
(…)
HTS is still designated by the US as a foreign terrorist organization, but the Biden administration has celebrated its takeover of Syria. The US has also made clear it’s willing to work with the new government and its de facto leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who has been going by his real name Ahmed al-Sharaa.
Israel’s attacks on Syria threaten regional stability and will ultimately backfire
The military operation’s scale and focus raise pressing questions about Israel’s intentions and its long-term impact on Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. Analysts have drawn comparisons to the chaos seen in Iraq after the US-led invasion and Libya’s fragmented post-Gaddafi reality.
Israel’s occupation of additional Syrian territories near the Golan Heights compounds this uncertainty.
Syria: France claims strikes on IS positions
France has belonged to the Inherent Resolve international coalition against IS since 2014, for Iraq, and 2015 for Syria. French troops involved in the operations are based in the region, including in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
France announced that it carried out missile strikes against Islamic State positions in Syria
“On Sunday, French Air Force forces carried out targeted strikes against Islamic State positions on Syrian territory,” Lecorni wrote on the social media platform X.
The French airstrikes followed a similar US military strike in Syria, which the US said claimed the lives of two Islamic State members.
Heusgen: Deutschland soll in Syrien rasch Präsenz zeigen
„Wir sollten so schnell wie möglich unsere Botschaft wieder eröffnen und versuchen, die Protagonisten – die ursprünglich aus dem syrischen Ableger des Terrornetzwerks Al-Kaida hervorgegangen sind – in einem moderaten Kurs zu unterstützen“, sagte Heusgen dem Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland mit Blick auf die Islamistengruppe Haiat Tahrir al-Scham (HTS). Diese hatte Syriens Machthaber Baschar al-Assad nach einer Blitzoffensive gestürzt und führt nun mit einer Übergangsregierung das Land.
Deutschland solle dabei darauf verzichten, mit „dem erhobenen Zeigefinger aufzutreten“, sagte Heusgen weiter.
Syria’s De Facto Leader Says It Will Take Four Years To Hold Elections
“The process of writing the constitution may take about three years, and we look forward to a constitution that lasts for the longest possible period, and this is a difficult and lengthy task,” Julani, the former leader of al-Qaeda in Syria, told Al-Arabiya. “Organizing elections may take four years; any valid elections will require a comprehensive population census.”
Julani and his group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which is an offshoot of al-Qaeda, took over Syria after former President Bashar al-Assad fled on December 8. Julani has appointed HTS officials to senior positions in the new “transitional government,” including Anas Hassan Khattab, another former al-Qaeda commander who was named Syria’s intelligence chief.
Israeli strike near Damascus kills 10
At least 10 people were killed by an Israeli drone strike on the Syrian town of Adra, located northeast of Damascus, on Sunday, Al Jazeera is reporting, citing military sources.
Families of missing Syrian Army soldiers rally in Tartus amid claims some were imprisoned by HTS
Dec 25, 2024
Footage shows them holding banners and speaking with officials.
There was no response from the Tartus authorities or the HTS-led administration at time of publication.
Public protest in Damascus against the sectarian regime in Syria
(December 20, 2024)
First public protest in Damascus against the sectarian foreign occupation regime installed in Syria by the USA, Turkey the Israelis and their terrorist proxies. Video via Jenan Moussa on Twitter.
Clashes between Islamists now in power in Syria and Assad’s supporters kill 6 fighters
In the capital, Damascus, Alawite protesters scuffled with Sunni counter-protesters and gunshots were heard. The Associated Press could not confirm details of the shooting.
Alawite protests also took place along the coast of Syria, in the city of Homs and the Hama countryside. Some called for the release of soldiers from the former Syrian army now imprisoned by the HTS.
14 killed in fresh clashes in Tartus, Syria
In other Syrian cities, however, demonstrations took place on Wednesday in areas populated by Alawites without any disturbance Former president Bashar al-Assad belongs to the Alawite sect, which has feared reprisals under the new government. Tens of thousands of Alawites demonstrated in the cities of Damascus, Homs, Latakia, Tartus, and Qardaha on the Syrian coast, following the spread of a video of a shrine being burned for the Alawites in Aleppo.
Curfew declared in Damascus, several cities after violent clashes
Syrian media, quoting Interior Ministry officials, said over a dozen members of security forces were killed and 10 others injured during clashes in Tartus on Wednesday.
The clashes came after angry protests erupted in many cities across Syria, including Latakia and Homs.
Pentagon Admits It’s Been Lying About the Number of Troops in Both Iraq and Syria
The Pentagon said on Monday that the US has more troops deployed in Iraq than it has been disclosing, an admission that comes after it revealed there are significantly more US troops in Syria than the US has said.
„URBI ET ORBI“ MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS CHRISTMAS 2024
May the sound of arms be silenced in war-torn Ukraine! May there be the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation and to gestures of dialogue and encounter, in order to achieve a just and lasting peace.
May the sound of arms be silenced in the Middle East! In contemplating the Crib of Bethlehem, I think of the Christian communities in Palestine and in Israel, particularly the dear community in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is extremely grave. May there be a ceasefire, may the hostages be released and aid be given to the people worn out by hunger and by war. I express my closeness to the Christian community in Lebanon, especially in the south, and to that of Syria, at this most delicate time. May the doors of dialogue and peace be flung open throughout the region, devastated by conflict. Here I also think of the Libyan people and encourage them to seek solutions that enable national reconciliation.
Syria’s Shifting Sands: A New Middle East Order
The final outcome in Syria appears stark: Assad’s regime has fallen, and the Syrian army has been entirely dismantled—an unprecedented event even compared to the 1967 war. Israel now firmly controls the Golan Heights and Mount Hermon. Turkish forces have seized more than 13 cities, cementing their influence. The United States has solidified its presence in oil-rich regions while extending legal protection to the Kurds and the SDF.
Report: US Had Foreknowledge of HTS Offensive To Topple Assad and Prepared Other Rebel Group To Join
(December 19, 2024)
“They did not tell us how it would happen,” Bashar al-Mashadani, an RCA commander, told The Telegraph. “We were just told: ‘Everything is about to change. This is your moment. Either Assad will fall, or you will fall.’ But they did not say when or where, they just told us to be ready.”
In October, the US brought several other Sunni Muslim militias under the command of the RCA, swelling the force from 800 fighters to about 3,000. All of the fighters are armed by the US, and the US pays their salaries of $400 per month.
US ‘prepared Syrian rebel group to help topple Bashar al-Assad’
(December 18, 2024)
RCA fighters who captured the Russian-controlled Syrian air base on the outskirts of the town last week said they had been told to prepare for Assad’s possible fall in early November, nearly three weeks before the offensive began.
Until one month earlier, Capt Mashadani had been second-in-command of the Abu Khatab brigade. This small unit of 150 men was created by US Special Forces and trained by their British counterparts in Jordan until 2016, to hunt down Isis fighters near Deir ez-Zor, a city in eastern Syria.
Occupying Israeli forces open fire on Syrians protesting seizure of 2 villages in Daraa province
(December 20, 2024)
The Israeli army claimed that soldiers opened fire in accordance with open-fire procedures, shooting one protester in the leg.
Israel‘s recent actions include extending its control in the occupied Golan Heights and advancing to within 25 kilometers of the capital, Damascus.
US Official Has ‘Good, Productive’ Meeting with al-Qaeda-Linked Julani in Damascus
Julani fought for al-Qaeda in Iraq against American soldiers during the Iraq War. He then founded al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Syria, the al-Nusra Front. In recent years, he has attempted to soften his image by giving friendly interviews to Western journalists, often appearing in a suit and with a trimmed beard to obscure his jihadist ideology.
Leaf said of Julani after the meeting, who is also going by Ahmad al-Sharaa, “I heard him on his priorities, which are very much rooted in getting Syria on the road to economic recovery.”
“We’ve been hearing this for some time, some very pragmatic and moderate statements on various issues, from women’s rights to protection to equal rights for all communities,” she added. “It was a good first meeting. We will judge by deeds, not just by words.”
Senior U.S. Diplomats Arrive in Syria to Meet With Governing Militias
The State Department said early Friday that three senior American diplomats had arrived in Damascus, the capital of Syria, to meet with leaders of the militias that have seized control of the country, and to look for signs of the journalist Austin Tice and other missing U.S. citizens.
Pentagon says the number of US troops in Syria is much higher than previously reported
After learning of the fluctuation in number of troops, Fox News’ Pentagon correspondent Jennifer Griffin pressed Ryder about the correction to the number of troops and timing.
„This is more than double the number of troops that we’ve been told for quite some time. So, are we talking about this has been going on for months? For Years?“ Griffin asked. „Is this something that just happened this summer? We need a time frame.“
„Yeah, I think it would probably be fair to say at a minimum, months,“ Ryder said. „I’ll go back and look. But it’s…yeah, it’s been going on for a while.“
Turkey, Allies Violate Extended Ceasefire With Syrian Kurds, Dozens Killed
Turkey and their allies, collectively known as the Syrian National Army (SNA), hold territory in Syria’s northeast, but have gained considerable influence having backed the Islamist Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in the takeover of most of the country. HTS officials are already suggesting that stamping out Kurdish separatists is a near-term goal, and that Turkish involvement in Syria’s reconstruction is a priority.
US officials have been trying to reassure the Kurds that they don’t face any immediate threats to existence from Turkey’s allies, despite Turkish officials saying the “elimination” of the SDF’s largest faction, the YPG, is their strategic goal.
No talk of ceasefire between Turkey and US-backed SDF in Syria, Turkey says
(December 19, 2024)
There is no talk of a ceasefire deal between Turkey and the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria, contrary to a U.S. announcement, a Turkish defence ministry official said on Thursday.
The State Department had said…
Der Umsturz in Syrien, seine Hintergründe und möglichen Auswirkungen
Und was Israel angeht – auf kurze Sicht profitiert es wohl davon. Israel hat die Situation dazu genutzt, mehr Land zu besetzen, angeblich Waffenlager zerstört. Aber ich kann mir nicht vorstellen, dass ein islamischer Staat auf längere Sicht gut für Israel ist.
Vor einem guten Jahr hat sich in der israelischen Führung ein riesiger Wandel vollzogen. Ein wichtiges Ziel dieser neuen Strömung: Es darf keinen Palästinenserstaat geben. Man will einen durch und durch jüdischen Staat. Israels Bevölkerung ist zerrissen, was diese Themen angeht, fast am Rande eines Bürgerkrieges. Netanjahu ist autoritärer denn je, er hat alles persönlich unter Kontrolle.
Und es hat sich noch etwas drastisch verändert: Die Israelis in den 70er- und 80er-Jahren waren säkulare Europäer, diese Menschen an der Regierung heute sind alttestamentarisch. Sie sind nicht der Logik und der Ratio zugänglich, sondern sie fühlen sich ihrer quasi biblischen Vision verpflichtet. Da ist magisches Denken am Werk.
(…)
Für mich ist das eine Art geopolitisches Schneeballsystem. Netanjahu setzt alles daran, die Kämpfe am Laufen zu halten – würde man innehalten und das Ganze hinterfragen, würde das System kollabieren wie bei einem Schneeballsystem.
US Launches More Airstrikes in Syria, Claims 12 ISIS Fighters Killed
Since Assad’s downfall, the US, Turkey, and Israel have all been bombing Syria. On December 8, the day Assad fled, the US launched heavy airstrikes in Syria, saying it hit 75 ISIS-related targets.
US officials justify the strikes by saying they don’t want ISIS to reconstitute itself following the regime change. But on the other hand, the US has supported the HTS takeover even though the group is designated by the US as a terrorist organization and has a similar ideology to ISIS.
The US has also made clear it has no intention of withdrawing the approximately 900 troops that it has occupying eastern Syria.
Scandal deepens around CNN’s Clarissa Ward staging Syria prison scene
After countless social media users shredded CNN’s story, a fact-checking organization with ties to the US government has exposed the prisoner seemingly liberated in Ward’s theatrical performance turns out to have been a low level Syrian intelligence official jailed for corruption and abuse charges.
CNN finally addressed the deepening scandal on December 15, declaring that it would investigate the subject of Ward’s piece. However, the network continues to protect the correspondent responsible for the journalistic flim-flam, while rebroadcasting the staged report for its views day after day.
Updated: Did CNN Fabricate the Story of „Freeing a Syrian Detainee from a Secret Prison“?
On December 12, CNN published a video report on its website, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter) titled, „CNN Reporter Documents a Shocking Moment of Finding a Prisoner Held in a Secret Syrian Jail, Unaware of Assad’s Overthrow.“ In the footage, CNN’s correspondent Clarissa Ward is seen accompanied by an armed individual as they open a cell in a Damascus prison. The report features a man named „Adel Gharbal“ from Homs, who claims he was arrested three months earlier for having his phone searched and was taken to Damascus, initially held in an unnamed prison before being transferred to the location shown in the video. According to the report, this transfer occurred three days after the fall of Assad‘s regime.
The man, hidden under a blanket despite the gunshots used to break his cell lock, claimed he had not seen sunlight for three months.
Germany joins US, UK in making diplomatic contact with Syria‘s HTS
Germany plans talks with representatives of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Damascus on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said, joining the United States and Britain in establishing contact with the group after it led the overthrow of Syria‘s Bashar al-Assad.
Israeli tanks cross into Syrian territory, beyond 1974 disengagement line
Israeli armoured vehicles on Tuesday entered the vicinity of Saida al-Golan, a village south of the Quneitra governorate, according to local media reports.
The area is beyond the disengagement line between Israel and Syria that was agreed in 1974.
After Assad‘s ouster in Syria, U.N. envoy calls for end to sanctions
The U.N. envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, told reporters in Damascus that setting Syria back on track after the past few tumultuous weeks will be helped by a speedy relief of sanctions.
„We can hopefully see a quick end to the sanctions so that we can see really a rallying around building of Syria,“ he said.
EU‘s Diplomatic Shift: Direct Talks with Syria
In a significant development, European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas announced that the bloc‘s top diplomat for Syria will head to Damascus on Monday to initiate contact with the new Syrian government.
Lammy: UK had ‚diplomatic contact‘ with HTS
„Using all the channels that we have available, and those are diplomatic and, of course, intelligence-led channels, we seek to deal with HTS where we have to.“
On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States has had direct contact with HTS.
Massive strike in Syria registers on Richter scale as Israel targets military sites in coastal Tartus region
“Earlier today, an Israeli fighter jet carried out an airstrike on radars in Deir Ezzor Military Airport,” it said.
“Moreover, an anonymous explosion took place at the only bridge on Euphrates River that connects between the city and Hatla Village, which is one of the seven villages in SDF-held areas.”
Israel attacks military facilities in Syria‘s Tartus, where Russian base is located – videos
Israeli military aircraft carried out a series of powerful airstrikes on military targets in the Syrian port city of Tartus, home to an important Russian naval base and ship repair facility, on the night of 15-16 December.
Israel approves plan to expand settlements on occupied Golan Heights
“Strengthening the Golan is strengthening the State of Israel, and it is especially important at this time. We will continue to hold onto it, cause it to blossom, and settle in it,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
Since Islamist rebels overthrew the decades-long Assad family regime on Dec. 8, Israel has launched hundreds of airstrikes across Syria and carried out a land incursion that stretches past the occupied Golan Heights into a previously demilitarized buffer zone.
‘As much and as quickly as possible’: Israeli settlers eye land in Syria, Lebanon
(December 12,2024)
With the Israeli army advancing into Syria following Assad‘s fall, a group promoting settlements in Lebanon is casting its gaze eastward.
Israel launches over 60 air strikes on Syria in last few hours
14 December 2024 22:42 GMT
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is reporting that Israel has launched 61 fresh air strikes on Syrian territory in the last few hours.
Exclusive: Russia pulling back but not out of Syria, sources say
The bases in Syria are an integral part of Russia‘s global military presence: the Tartous naval base is Russia‘s only Mediterranean repair and resupply hub, with Hmeimim a major staging post for military and mercenary activity in Africa.
Russia also has eavesdropping posts in Syria which were run alongside Syrian signals stations, according to Syrian military and Western intelligence sources.
U.S. in Direct Contact With Rebels Who Took Over Syria
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said the United States was communicating directly with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the dominant rebel faction, despite its designation as a terrorist group.
Syria‘s new govt says to suspend constitution, parliament for three months
„A judicial and human rights committee will be established to examine the constitution and then introduce amendments,“ Obaida Arnaout told AFP.
The current constitution dates back to 2012 and does not specify Islam as the state religion.
Rebels led by the Islamist militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham seized the capital Damascus on Sunday, sending Assad fleeing into exile.
Turkey, Israel seize the moment as region reels from Syria’s implosion
(December 11, 2024)
Erdogan, Netanyahu aren‘t letting the crisis on their borders go to waste
Turkey and Israel are reaping rewards from the chaos in Syria
(December 5, 2024)
How the incoming Trump administration intends to deal with the situation in Syria is anyone’s guess. Given that the president-elect has chosen staunch Israeli supporters to occupy senior posts in his cabinet, there appears to be strong reason to believe that Trump 2.0 policy towards Damascus will be determined to a large degree by Israeli preferences. If so, Washington’s approach may be to weaken and possibly oust Assad from power given the latter’s longstanding alliance with Iran, which remains Public Enemy Number One for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Turkey-backed forces continue advance in northern Syria, defense ministry source says
Turkey-backed rebel forces are continuing their advance to „clear terrorism“ in northern Syria, a Turkish defense ministry source said on Thursday, referring to the forces‘ battle against Kurdish forces in the region.
Turkey has been telling the United States repeatedly that „a terrorist organization cannot be eliminated by using another terrorist organization,“ the source also said.
Kurdish-led administration in northeastern Syria urges ‚unity‘ as Turkey presses assault
The Kurdish-led administration says it is willing to „unite“ with the new administration in Damascus, as it raises the flag of the opposition in the territories it controls in northeastern Syria.
Northeastern Syria, which is controlled by the People‘s Protection Units (YPG) and their US-backed affiliate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has been under attack by Turkish forces since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad on Sunday.
Israeli forces to occupy Mount Hermon peaks in Syria, says foreign minister
Israeli Defence Minister Yisrael Katz has confirmed that the peaks of Mount Hermon in Syria have been fully occupied.
In a statement, Katz described the moment as „a touching historical moment,“ recalling a visit to the Golan Heights with Prime Minister Netanyahu, where they observed the occupied peaks of Syrian Mount Hermon.
IDF: Troops will stay in Syria buffer zone and strategic Mount Hermon as long as needed
(December 9, 2024)
After the Israel Defense Forces on Sunday captured the Syrian side of the strategic Mount Hermon, along with a buffer zone that has existed between the countries since the 1970s, the military stressed that the move was temporary, but also acknowledged that troops would likely remain inside Syrian territory for the foreseeable future.
Israel conducts more than 300 air strikes across Syria since Assad‘s removal
Since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Israel has carried out approximately 310 airstrikes in Syria, targeting a variety of military sites, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).
HTS-aligned forces seize critical oil field
Syrian media is reporting that Hay‘at Tahrir al-Sham-aligned forces have taken control of al-Taym oil field in the Deir Ezzor desert, which produces 5,000 barrels per day. Russian-backed forces had run the area.
Jihadist rebels capture eastern Syria’s Deir Ezzor from US-backed, Kurdish-led force
Insurgents who overthrew the Syrian government said Tuesday that they have wrested control of the eastern city of Deir Ezzor after intense battles with a Kurdish-led, US-backed force.
Hassan Abdul-Ghani, a senior commander of the jihadi group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which leads the insurgent alliance, said that the rebel forces completely took control of the city.
The US and al-Omar oil field: Military base or oil greed
(September 23, 2022)
On 22 October 2017, SDF announced that its forces, with the support of the International Coalition Forces (ICF), had taken control of the al-Omar oil field, Syria’s largest, after the regime’s alliance had engaged in military operations against it for days.
As SDF installed its spheres of influence in the region as far as the Euphrates River from the eastern side, the al-Omar field is now known as the largest US military base in Syria.
The field in Deir Ezzor’s eastern countryside is the largest oil field in Syria, with a pre-Syrian revolution production of about 30,000 barrels per day.
USCENTCOM Commander Visits Syria and Iraq
Syria
Today, Dec. 10, Gen. Kurilla visited U.S. military commanders and servicemembers, as well as our Defeat-ISIS partners, the Syrian Democratic Forces, at several bases in Syria. He received a firsthand assessment of force protection measures, the rapidly evolving situation, and ongoing efforts to prevent ISIS from exploiting the current situation. USCENTCOM remains committed to the enduring defeat of ISIS.
Iraq
After visiting Syria, Gen. Kurilla visited Baghdad where he met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia‘ al Sudani, Chief of Staff Gen. Abdul Amir Rashid Yarallah, and Iraqi Joint Operations Deputy Commander Gen. Qais al-Muhammadawai. The leaders discussed strengthening bilateral cooperation and regional security, the rapidly changing situation in Syria, as well as the defeat-ISIS operations in Iraq.
Islamic State group fighters killed 54 people in Homs region: Syrian rights group
Islamic State (IS) group fighters on Tuesday killed at least 54 people in Syria‘s Homs region, all of whom are said to have been former members of the Bashar al-Assad government and tried to flee upon its collapse on Saturday.
The news comes from the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights, a British-based monitoring group, and follows a declaration by Hay‘at Tahrir al-Sham-led (HTS) rebels who took over Damascus and said that all those who were conscripted into the Syrian military would receive amnesty.
Rebel Opposition Arrest Officers and Members of Military Between Hama and Homs
(December 9, 2024)
Footage Obada Jbara said he filmed between Hama and Homs shows Syrian rebels standing next to people lying on the ground, with their hands tied behind their backs, as civilians walk by.
Germany, France ready to cooperate with new Syrian leadership
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and French President Emmanuel Macron expressed their willingness to engage with Syria‘s new leadership, following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, under certain conditions, a statement from the German government revealed after a call between the two leaders.
U.S. would recognize a Syrian government that comes from inclusive process, Blinken says
The U.S. government would “recognize and fully support” a future Syrian government that results from an inclusive and transparent transition process, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Tuesday, outlining a first set of principles regarding the Biden administration’s hopes to influence discussions over Syria’s future after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
“We were screwed over”: Russian propagandists fume over downfall of Assad regime in Syria
„I would ask myself the same question: do we even have intelligence services, do they work? And if they do, who’s ‘processing’ the results of their work? If this is some ‘masterstroke,’ a planned maneuver, then what’s happening with our troops in fallen Damascus, and what about the embassy?”
Syria‘s Assad is in Moscow after deal on military bases: Russian state media
(December 9, 2024)
Syrian opposition leaders had agreed to guarantee the safety of Russian military bases and diplomatic institutions in Syria, the source told news agencies.
Exclusive: Qatar opens contacts with Syria‘s HTS group, source says
(December 9, 2024)
Qatar‘s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters requests for comment about the contacts with HTS, a group formerly allied with Al Qaeda and which is designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., European Union, Turkey and the U.N.
Qatar’s Syrian endgame
(December 4,2024)
One has to decide to what extent such notions as reconciliation, appeasement or friendship have any reliable meaning when dealing with Qatar or Turkey.
Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham, with its well-known loyalty to both Turkey and Qatar, could not have moved its troops without Qatari instructions.
Funding for the Free Syrian Army is part of a budget allocated by Doha since the Qatari leadership decided to overthrow President Assad at the beginning of the civil war.
Israel establishes ‚sterile defence zone‘ inside Syrian territory as it continues air strikes
„Together with the prime minister, I have instructed the [military] to establish a sterile defence zone free of weapons and terrorist threats in southern Syria, without a permanent Israeli presence,“ Katz said during a visit to a naval base in the Israeli city of Haifa.
He claimed it was in order to „to prevent the establishment and organisation of terrorism in Syria“.
Explosions shake various areas in Syria, including scientific research centers
In turn, the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights reported over 250 Israeli airstrikes on Syria in 48 hours.
These strikes follow Sunday‘s attacks on strategic locations in Syria, where Israel targeted a major security complex and missile research center in Damascus‘s Kafr Sousa district, as well as military sites in southern Syria.
We have agreed on Syria. But why did Russia need to give in to Turkey?
Russia maintains its military bases and embassy in Syria after the overthrow of the government of Bashar al-Assad. The agreements with Turkey are obvious.
Al Arabiya: Russia handed over facilities to Israel in the Golan Heights area
Earlier, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the opening of a front in Syria. Israeli forces occupied Mount Hermon from the Syrian side in the Golan Heights, from where the Syrian army withdrew, Israeli and Arab media reported. N12 TV channel noted that „in fact, this is the first IDF presence in the area after the Yom Kippur War.“
UNSC consultations on Syria, requested by Russia, will take place on December 9, according to the mission
„In light of the current developments in Syria, the impact of which on this country and the entire region is yet to be realized, Russia has requested urgent closed-door consultations of the UN Security Council. In particular, it is important to know what is going on in this environment around the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) in the Golan Heights. We expect that these consultations will ne held in the second half of the day on Monday, December 9,“ he wrote on his Telegram channel.
Salih Muslim: We want a solution, not enmity
PYD Presidency Council Member Salih Muslim stated that Kurds are a part of Syria and want a solution: “They are not hostile to anyone. What Turkey should do is to act rationally.”
US Strikes over 70 ISIS camps in Syria
The United States army announced on Sunday that it carried out airstrikes against 75 Islamic State (ISIS) camps in Syria, to prevent the group from taking “advantage” of the recent kerfuffle in the country.
“The strikes against the ISIS leaders, operatives, and camps were conducted as part of the ongoing mission to disrupt, degrade, and defeat ISIS,” read a statement from the army’s Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US troops in the Middle East.
President Biden on Situation in Syria: „At long last the Assad regime has fallen.“
President Biden: „After 13 years of civil war in Syria, more than half a century of brutal authoritarian rule by Bashar al-Assad and his father before him, rebel forces have forced Assad to resign his office, flee the country.“
Syrian Observatory says war has killed more than half a million
(March 12, 2018)
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based war monitor, said on Monday about 511,000 people had been killed in the Syrian war since it began seven years ago.
Assad must go, Obama says
(18.8.2011)
As Obama issued his statement, the leaders of France, Germany and Britain joined him in calling on Assad “to face the reality of the complete rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to step aside.”
Obama had spoken to French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron over the past two weeks to discuss calling for Assad’s resignation and to coordinate steps on sanctions.
US expands ‚axis of evil‘
(6.5.2002)
The United States has added Cuba, Libya and Syria to the nations it claims are deliberately seeking to obtain chemical or biological weapons.
Netanyahu Says „Central Link In Iran‘s Axis Of Evil“ Has Fallen In Syria
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad in Syria was a „historic day in the… Middle East“ and the fall of a „central link in Iran‘s axis of evil“.
Netanyahu said the events are „a direct result of the blows we have inflicted on Iran and Hezbollah, Assad‘s main supporters. It has triggered a chain reaction across the Middle East, empowering those seeking to break free from this oppressive regime.“
He spoke on a visit to the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Suspected Israeli strikes hit a part of Damascus, two security sources say
The regional security sources said at least six strikes hit the main air base in the north of the city of Suweida that has a large stockpile of rockets and missiles left by Syrian troops.
The attack appeared aimed at prevent these weapons from falling into the hands of radical groups, one source told Reuters.
Syria Gunmen storm Iranian embassy in Damascus as Russia claims Assad left ‚instructions‘ to ‚transfer power‘
Iranian state television reported on the embassy incident, saying they did not believe the gunmen were affiliated with the wider rebel group that took the city. (…)
Russia‘s Foreign Ministry said in a Telegram post Sunday that Assad left Syria following negotiations with rebel groups, and that the long-time Syrian leader had left „instructions“ to „transfer power peacefully.“ The Russian ministry said the Kremlin was not directly involved in those discussions.
Syrian army command tells officers that Assad‘s rule has ended
The unnamed officer made the remarks to Reuters on Sunday after reports said President Assad had flown out of Damascus for an unknown destination.
Meanwhile, the militants declared that they had captured the capital, announcing the fall of the Assad government.
Syria Live Updates: Assad Has Resigned and Left Syria, Russia Says
President Bashar al-Assad’s immediate location was not initially clear after rebels took control of Syria’s capital. Russia’s Foreign Ministry did not provide details on where he had gone, saying only that he had resigned and left the country.
Jake Sullivan Says US Won’t ‘Cry’ About the Pressure Syria Is Facing from Al-Qaeda-Linked Fighters
(December 2, 2024)
US officials have not been shy in the past about their preference for HTS and its leader, Abu Mohammad al-Julani, over other factions in Syria. James Jeffrey, an American diplomat who served as a special envoy to Syria under the Trump administration from 2018-2020, said in a 2021 interview that HTS was “an asset” to the US’s strategy in Idlib, a northwestern Syrian province that’s been under HTS control since 2017.
Source close to Hezbollah says group sent 2,000 fighters to Syria
The source said that since the opposition offensive began last week, Hezbollah has not taken an active part in the fighting.
The group’s fighters had been sent “to defend its positions” in the mountains along the Syria-Lebanon border, the source said, adding that Hezbollah “has not yet participated in any battles.”
Doppelagent Putin
(15. April 2018)
Der nun erfolgte erneute Luftangriff gegen Syrien repräsentiert die Wiederholung einer Seifenoper aus dem letzten Jahr (11.04.2017, Wag the Russki). Drehbuch wie folgt:
– U.S. Präsident Donald Trump äußert in etwa “es hat nach Hunderttausenden von Toten keinen Sinn mehr die Invasion in Syrien mit terroristischen Proxy-Truppen und regulären eigenen Einheiten weiter fortzusetzen”,
– im Gebiet der terroristischen Proxies und Invasoren bei Ghouta ereignet sich ein fiktiver oder tatsächlicher Einsatz von Chemiewaffen,
– Trump dreht sich um 180 Grad und kündigt einen Militärschlag auf Syrien an,
– dieser erfolgt, mit Ankündigung und laut der französischen Verteidigungsministerin und einem anonymen Politiker über “Reuters” abermals mit Vorwarnung durch die Westmächte,
– die russische Flugabwehr tut nichts, gibt auch noch damit an und die syrische, die genau wie die russischen Militärs noch jedem Massaker gegen die eigenen und verbündeten Truppen aus Irak, Iran und Libanon zugesehen hat wie die Karnickel auf der Fahrbahn, behauptet dies und das.
Einer der wenigen Unterschiede zum letzten Jahr ist, dass sich neben Donald Trump mit Emmanuel Macron und Theresa May nun zwei weitere in ihrem Land hoch umstrittene Staatsleiter vor die Presse stellen und sagen können, sehet her, das haben sie nun davon, diese Russkis. Und Putin, der arme Putin, zitiert das Völkerrecht.
Dass die russische Staatsführung nie beabsichtigt hat Syrien gegen Luftangriffe zu verteidigen, sagte sie schon im letzten Jahr. Dass der russische Präsident jetzt von einer Verletzung der Souveränität Syriens redet, spricht Bände über dessen auch im Humor zum Ausdruck kommenden Grausamkeit. Der ganze Luftraum Syriens quillt über von irgendwelchen Kampfjets von Vancouver bis Wladivostok, seit Jahren. Noch einmal – hätte die Russische Föderation vor Beginn der Syrien-Invasion oder vor Beginn der Libyen-Invasion den dortigen Regimen eine Garantieerklärung gegeben, wie sie China letzten Sommer unter viel Gewimmer und Gebrumm endlich gegenüber Nordkorea abgab, wären Hunderttausende Menschen heute noch am Leben.
Assad’s family ‘flees’ to Russia – but Kremlin won’t come to Syrian leader’s rescue
(December 6, 2024)
Bashar al-Assad’s family fled to Russia in the days after rebel forces launched a shock offensive that captured swathes of territory across northern Syria, it has been revealed.
It comes after a source close to the Kremlin told Bloomberg News that Moscow had no plans to rescue the Syrian president, with Vladimir Putin said to be disgusted by reports of regime troops fleeing their positions. (…)
Egyptian and Jordanian officials are understood to have urged the Syrian president to leave the country and form a government-in-exile.
Inside the Iraqi factions’ decision to keep out of Syria
Assad himself has not formally asked the Iraqi government to send military reinforcements.
Syrian rebels say they are encircling Damascus
Daraa and Quneitra are near the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights, where Israel said it was boosting its troop presence, and Jordan, which late Friday urged its citizens to leave Syria „as soon as possible.“
Iraq allowed hundreds of troops from the Syrian army in, some of them wounded, amid the offensive, according to two Iraqi security sources speaking to Agence France-Presse (AFP). The soldiers from President Bashar al-Assad‘s forces „have fled the front lines“ and entered Iraq through the Al-Qaim border crossing, said one senior security official, adding that „the wounded have been hospitalized“ in the area.
Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force for the period from 4 September to 19 November 2014
(01.12.2014)
5. In view of the heavy fighting, which was approaching close to the UNDOF headquarters at Camp Faouar and the mission’s positions in the central part of the area of separation, the Force Commander briefed both parties early in September on the Force’s plans to relocate its personnel and assets should the Nusra Front or other extremist fighters who posed a clear threat to the mission endanger the safety and security of the United Nations personnel. It should be noted here that from information posted on social media as well as in the course of its efforts to secure the release of the peacekeepers, the United Nations learned that its personnel had been taken and held by members of the Nusra Front. There were indications that the Nusra Front intended to detain additional UNDOF personnel and take from UNDOF more weapons and vehicles as opportunities arose. (…)
12. Crossing of the ceasefire line by civilians, primarily shepherds, was observed on an almost daily basis. On 24 October, United Nations observation post 73 observed 12 IDF soldiers who detained one civilian between the Alpha line and the Israeli technical fence south-east of the observation post and subsequently took him away. IDF informed UNDOF that they released the person within one hour at the same location. On 27 October, position 80 observed two IDF soldiers east of the technical fence returning from the direction of the Alpha line towards the technical fence. UNDOF observed IDF opening the technical fence gate and letting two individuals pass from the Bravo to the Alpha side. Following the evacuation of UNDOF personnel from position 85 on 28 August, UNDOF sporadically observed armed members of the opposition interacting with IDF across the ceasefire line in the vicinity of United Nations position 85.
UN Peacekeepers Observe IDF Interacting With Al Nusra in Golan
(4.12.2014)
UN troops monitoring the 1974 ceasefire between Israel and Syria have witnessed interactions between members of the Israeli Defence Forces and the Al Nusra Front who have taken over a large part of the Golan Heights.
Syria rebels appear to credit Israeli strikes on Hezbollah with aiding shock advance
(December 2, 2024)
“They accuse us of cooperating with you because we were quite happy when you attacked Hezbollah, really happy, and we’re glad that you won,” the source said.
Both said the rebels had no issue with Israel. “We love Israel and we were never its enemies,” the man from the Idlib area said. “[Israel] isn’t hostile to those who are not hostile toward it. We don’t hate you, we love you very much.”
Al-Qaeda-linked ‘rebels’ in Syria say they ‘love Israel’. USA gave them billions in weapons & support
The United States spent billions over years arming and training militants in Syria, many linked to Al-Qaeda and ISIS.
Current US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan admitted back in 2012 that “AQ [Al-Qaeda] is on our side in Syria”.
Turkish-backed extremists ‚headed to Damascus‘ says Erdogan
“We do not want escalation to continue in the region,” the Turkish president claimed.
“Idlib, Hama, and Homs are in the hands of the Syrian opposition, and they are continuing towards Damascus. We extended our hand to Bashar al-Assad but he did not respond,” he added.
Putin ‚Letting Syrian Rebels Overthrow Assad‘: Ex-Trump Intel Chief
(November 30, 2024)
Russia appears to be „letting the Syrian rebels overthrow“ President Bashar al-Assad according to Richard Grenell, who served as acting director of National Intelligence for a time during Donald Trump‘s first administration.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Grenell, who had been tipped as a possible member of Trump‘s incoming administration, commented: „Russia seems to be letting the Syrian rebels overthrow Assad. Big. Time to play chess.“
Syrian army admits defeat in parts of Aleppo, plans counterattack
Kurdish forces have also made deployments, moving into Aleppo International Airport and other areas of the city, according to the Britain-based conflict monitor Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
The SDF fighters have taken control of #Aleppo International Airport and are defending the area while playing Kurdish songs.
Aleppo International Airport ‚controlled‘ by SDF, says SOHR
On Saturday and according to reports by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) has entered into and gained control over the Aleppo International Airport.
According to the SOHR, the SDF has also taken control of two towns Nubl and Zahra near Aleppo as well.
SDF responds to HTS attack, “We will defend our people”
(November 27, 2024)
Shamî stated that the attack in Aleppo was planned and coordinated by the Turkish state. He said that, by using groups like HTS, the Turkish state is trying to prevent peace in Syria and “realise its long-term occupation plans”. According to Shamî, the attacks are being carried out step by step and in an organised manner.
Farhad Shamî said that the SDF’s primary goal is to protect the people and the region, adding, “No matter who plans what, our only duty is to ensure the defense of our people.”
Aleppo’s Kurdish neighborhood braces for clashes with rebels
(November 30, 2024)
The Kurdish-majority neighborhood of Sheikh Maqsood in Syria’s Aleppo is bracing for a possible attack by rebels who have gained significant territory in a surprise offensive against the Syrian army.
The People’s Protection Units (YPG), which controls the neighborhood, published a video early Saturday morning that it said shows “civilians… preparing to defend their neighborhood in the event of an attack.”
Joint Statement by Iran, Russia and Turkey on the International Meeting on Syria in Astana 28-29 November 2018
5. Examined in details the situation in the Idlib de-escalation area and reaffirmed their determination to fully implement the Memorandum on Stabilization of the Situation in the Idlib De-escalation Area of 17 September 2018. In this regard they expressed their concern with the ongoing violations of the ceasefire regime, and declared that, as guarantors of the ceasefire regime, they would step up their efforts to ensure observance with it, including by enhacing work of the Joint Iranian-Russian-Turkish Coordination Center. They stressed the importance of a lasting ceasefire while underlining the necessity to continue effective fight against terrorism. They also emphasized that under no circumstances the creation of the above-mentioned de-escalation area should undermine the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic;
Syrian rebel groups take control in and around Aleppo
The offensive is led by Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham (HTS), a Sunni Islamist opposition group backed by Turkey and designated a terrorist organization by the U.S.
On Friday, the rebels entered the old city of Aleppo and took over several key sites, including the historic citadel and the Umayyad Mosque, according to videos posted on social media.
Syrian Army launches counteroffensive against HTS terrorists
According to reports, clashes persist in Saraqib, west of the Aleppo-Damascus highway, as militants fail to make any breakthrough.
The Syrian army also repelled militant attacks on a front southwest of Aleppo city, thwarting four attacks from Thursday evening until Friday morning.
Additionally, the army repelled five successive assaults on Andan, northwest of Aleppo, inflicting heavy casualties among the terror groups.
Araghchi says terror resurgence in Syria part of Western-Israeli plot
Araghchi held a telephone conversation with Syrian Foreign Minister Bassam al-Sabbagh on Friday, where both officials examined the evolving situation in Syria and broader regional developments.
„The reactivation of terrorist groups in Syria is a U.S.-Zionist scheme after failure in Lebanon,“ Araghchi stated while reaffirming Tehran‘s unwavering support for Damascus in its ongoing struggle against terrorism.
Trump wants US troops out of Syria, says Robert F Kennedy Jr
(November 8, 2024)
Kennedy described Trump’s particular focus on the border between Syria and Türkiye.
„He said we have 500 men on the border of Syria and Türkiye, and a little encampment that was bombed. He said there‘s 750,000 troops in Türkiye. There‘s 250,000 militants in Syria. If they go up against each other, we‘re in the middle.“
According to Kennedy, Trump later asked his generals what would happen if a conflict broke out, to which they reportedly replied, „They‘re going to be cannon fodder.“
Trump’s response was decisive: „Get them out.“
Syrian rebels enter Aleppo for first time in eight years during shock offensive
Syrian armed rebels have entered Aleppo just three days into their surprise offensive, marking the first time they have set foot in the country’s second largest city since government forces recaptured the city in 2016.
Rebel forces launched a surprise attack this week, sweeping through several villages outside the city and reigniting conflict that had been largely static for years.
Israeli strikes target Damascus suburb
“Israeli aggression targets Mazzeh area in Damascus,” the official Sana news agency‘s newsflash read.
The attack follows a deadly wave of strikes in and around the Syrian capital on Thursday which killed 23 people, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor.
15 civilians martyred, 16 others injured in Israeli aggression on Damascus
Damascus, SANA-15 civilians were martyred and 16 others got injured in Israeli aggression on Mazzeh and Qudsaya areas in Damascus.
“At about 15:20 p.m. on Thursday, Israeli enemy launched an air aggression from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting a number of residential buildings in Mazzeh neighborhood in Damascus and Qudsaya area in Damascus countryside, resulting in the martyrdom of 15 people and the injury of 16 others, including women and children, ” a military source said.
Russia asks Israel to avoid air strikes near Syrian base
Russia has asked Israel to avoid launching aerial strikes near one of Moscow‘s bases in Syria, a top official said on Wednesday.
US carried out strikes against Iranian linked targets in Syria
(November 11, 2024)
The U.S. military said on Monday it had carried out strikes against nine targets associated with Iranian groups in Syria.
(…)
The U.S. has 900 troops in Syria, and 2,500 more in neighboring Iraq, on a mission to advise and assist local forces trying to prevent a resurgence of Islamic State, which in 2014 seized large swathes of both countries but was later defeated.
Seven civilians martyred, 20 others injured in Israeli aggression on Damascus countryside
“Nearly at 17:00 today, the Israeli enemy launched an aerial act of aggression from the direction of occupied Syrian Golan, targeting a residential building in Sayyidah Zaynab area of Damascus Countryside, which led to the martyrdom of seven civilians, including children and women, and the injury of twenty others, in addition to causing material damage to private properties” a military source said.
472,000 Refugees Flee Lebanon to Syria Due to Rising Israel-Hezbollah Tensions
Roughly 472,000 people have fled from Lebanon to Syria since September due to the escalating hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah, according to a report published by the UN’s refugee agency.
(…)
Lebanon hosted roughly 1.5 million Syrian refugees as of Sept. 25, the UNHCR said, which, compared to Lebanon’s relatively small population of only 5.3 million, posed a massive humanitarian challenge for the country’s already struggling economy.
Why are the state leaders of China and Russia complying with U.S. sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Syria, and Cuba?
(August 7, 2021)
Because they want to.
And almost 8 billion morons on the planet are too stupid to understand this, first of all the bunch who think they do other politics than the imperial complex, the war lobby, “political classes”, rulers and their courtiers.
Army air defenses repel Israeli missile aggression that targeted some posts in the Central and southern Regions
“Nearly at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, the Israeli enemy launched an air missile aggression from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan and Lebanese territories, targeting some military sites in the southern and central regions.” a Military source told SANA.
The source added that the army air defenses intercepted the missiles and downed most of them, indicating that work is still underway to verify the effects of the aggression.
Israeli airstrike hits residential building in Damascus, casualties reported
The war monitor said Syria was hit by two airstrikes early Thursday — one in Kafr Sousa and the other in al-Qusayr in the countryside of the central province of Homs.
War on Gaza: Israel wants to finish the job Washington started after 9/11
In 2007, former Nato commander Wesley Clark recounted a meeting at the Pentagon shortly after the US invasion of Afghanistan. An officer told him: “We are going to attack and destroy the governments in seven countries in five years. We’re going to start with Iraq, and then we’re going to move to Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Iran.”
Clark added of the neoconservatives: “They wanted us to destabilise the Middle East, turn it upside down, make it under our control.”
As I documented in my 2008 book Israel and the Clash of Civilisations, Israel was supposed to carry out a central chunk of Washington’s post-Iraq plan, starting with its war on Lebanon in 2006. Israel’s attack there was supposed to drag in Syria and Iran, giving the US a pretext to expand the war.
This was what the US secretary of state of the time, Condoleezza Rice, meant when she spoke of the “birth pangs of a new Middle East”.
The plan went awry largely because Israel got bogged down in phase one, in Lebanon. It blitzed cities like Beirut with US-supplied bombs, but its soldiers struggled against Hezbollah in a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.
The West subsequently found other ways to deal with Syria and Libya.
Russia Risks Reputation Of Its Weapons Systems With Iran Air Defense Delivery
(August 7, 2024)
The report did not specify the exact type of equipment Russia is delivering. Iran is interested in acquiring the long-range, strategic S-400 Triumf air defense missile system. Tehran acquired advanced S-300PMU-2 systems from Moscow in 2016 and also operates short and medium-range Russian Buk and Tor systems. (…)
Israel trained for striking S-300s for over a decade before the Isfahan strike. Its air force trained against Greece’s S-300PMU-1 based on the island of Crete in 2013, gaining valuable insights about its capabilities and potential vulnerabilities it could one day exploit against a Syrian or Iranian system.
Israeli drone strike kills one and injures three in central Syria: Report
An Israeli strike targeting a car in the central Syrian city of Hama has killed one person and wounded three others, local radio station Sham FM is reporting.
The Israeli military has yet to comment on the attack.
Exclusive: Iraqi groups say Israel fabricated deadly Golan drone attack
“Since October of last year, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 160 operations targeting the Israeli interior and the occupied areas in the Golan Heights, most of which Israel has not acknowledged for various reasons,” Kadhim al-Fartousi, a leader of Kataeb Sayyid al-Shuhadaa and the group’s spokesman, told MEE.
“The resistance announces the operations it carries out as soon as they happen. The resistance did not announce this operation or claim responsibility for it as was reported,” he added.
“If we had carried it out, we would have announced it.”
Live: Israel intensifies attacks on Lebanon, Gaza, occupied West Bank
Israel launches the heaviest air strikes on Beirut so far with dozens reportedly killed across Lebanon over the past day.
At least 18 Palestinians are killed in an Israeli jet fighter attack on the Tulkarem refugee camp in the occupied West Bank with the death toll expected to rise.
Israel strikes main Lebanon-Syria highway after overnight attacks on Beirut and West Bank
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Beirut on Friday, the most senior international official to visit Lebanon since Nasrallah‘s killing. He arrived at Beirut’s airport, where overnight an Israeli strike landed nearby.
Mr Araghchi is confirmed to meet Prime Minister Najib Mikati and speaker of parliament Nabih Berri.
Lebanon says Israeli strike cuts off main road to Syria
Lebanon said an Israeli strike on Friday cut off the main international road to Syria, after Israel said Hezbollah was transporting weapons through the tiny Mediterranean country‘s principal land border crossing.
The strike, which Israel has not commented on, comes after 310,000 people, mostly Syrians, have in recent days fled the war pitting Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon for relative safety in neighbouring Syria.
After deadliest-in-decades airstrike in West Bank, Israel pounds Lebanon-Syria border crossing
According to AFP, the recent Israeli strikes were conducted near Lebanon’s Masnaa border crossing with Syria. Lebanon Transport Minister Ali Hamieh said that the Israeli authority struck the Lebanese side of the border, cutting off a road used by Lebanese fleeing to Syria.
U.S. downplays talk of Iraq withdrawal, says troops will stay in Syria
(September 27, 2024)
The announcement, coming two weeks after the Iraqi government said it had reached a deal with the Biden administration to remove most U.S. troops over the next two years, underscored Washington’s hesitancy to telegraph its military movements at a time of extreme volatility in the Middle East. But it also sowed confusion over the eventual end state of the Pentagon presence in the country.
Three civilians martyred, nine others injured in Israeli aggression on Damascus
“At about 2:05 am on Tuesday morning the Israeli enemy carried out an air aggression with military aircraft and drones from the direction of the occupied Syrian Golan, targeting a number of points in the city of Damascus. “A military source said in a statement.
The air defense forces responded to the aggression’s missiles and downed some of them “the military source added.
Russia sees military coordination with Israel on Syria continuing
(February 26, 2022)
Following the 2015 Russian intervention in the Syrian civil war, Israel set up a „deconfliction mechanism“ with the big power to prevent them clashing inadvertently during Israeli strikes against Iranian deployments and arms transfers in the neighbouring Arab state.
„Our military officials discuss the practical issues of this substantively on a daily basis. This mechanism has proven to be useful and will continue to work,“ the Russian embassy in Israel said in a statement.
Pentagon to Send More U.S. Troops to Middle East as Tensions Rise
The troops will number in the dozens, one official said, and will head to the region to help protect the thousands of Americans who are stationed there.
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About 40,000 American troops are stationed in the region on bases in Iraq, in Syria and in the Persian Gulf countries. The U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln is in the Gulf of Oman, and a second aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman, left Norfolk, Va., on Monday for the Mediterranean as part of a regularly scheduled deployment.
What to know about the two waves of deadly explosions that hit Lebanon and Syria
Just one day after pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded, more electronic devices detonated in Lebanon Wednesday in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated, deadly attacks that targeted an extraordinary number of people.
Both attacks, which are widely believed to be carried out by Israel, have hiked fears that the two sides’ simmering conflict could escalate into all-out war.
Obama: `This War, Like All Wars, Must End`
(23. Mai 2013)
Now, the speech:
The president who dramatically expanded the CIA secret drone war, ordered a troop surge in Afghanistan and aggressively prosecuted leakers made a forceful defense of his actions and an even more forceful case for winding down the war on terrorism.
The key line: „This war, like all wars, must end. That‘s what history advises. That‘s what our democracy demands.“
Die “Authorization For Use of Military Force” vom 14. September 2001 im Wortlaut
(29. August 2014)
Seit Beginn des weltweiten Terrorkrieges in 2001 herrschten in den Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika zwei Personen als Kriegspräsidenten und “mächtigste Männer der Welt”, George Bush Junior und Barack Obama. Der Kern ihrer Legitimation für
– fast jede seit dem 14. September 2001 angeordnete militärische Aktion, Operation und Invasion, wie der Eroberung von Afghanistan (2001), Irak (2003), Libyen (2011), Luftangriffen bzw Bodenoperationen z.B. in Somalia, Jemen, Pakistan, Kenia, etc, etc, pp,
– den versuchten Aufbau einer “Totalen Informationskenntnis” (“Total Information Awareness”) über alle Menschen, Gruppen, Strömungen und Organisationen im Macht- bzw Einflussbereich der U.S.A. (also dem, was die Gesellschaft heute als “Totalüberwachung” versteht),
– die folgende Erschaffung eines informationstechnologischen, Privatleben fressenden Frankensteins, eines weltweit vernetzten Golem der “Nationalen Sicherheit AG” bzw dem “sicherheitsindustriellen Komplex”, der allein 800.000 Personen (Stand: 2010) Zugang zu “streng geheimen” Informationen und damit Zugang zu praktisch allen u.a. aus Telekommunikationssystemen wie dem Internet gesammelten bzw geraubten Daten von Bürgerinnen und Bürgern in ungezählten Datenbanken und Tauschbörsen der Spione, Militärs und (Geheim)Polizeien und Behörden allein in den U.S.A. gibt, samt einer bis heute nicht verifizierten Zahl assoziierter Kräfte und Stellen, z.B. in der Republik Deutschland,
– die Errichtung des Lagers Guantanamo, sowie einer unbekannten Zahl geheimer Folterkammern und Kerker auf eigenem Territorium, in Besatzungszonen und / oder in kollaborierenden Staaten, in denen Menschen willkürlich eingesperrt, gequält oder ermordet wurden,
sowie weitere offene oder klandestine Maßnahmen, wie z.B. die “Uminterpretation” von geltendem Recht zu faktischem geheimen Kriegsrecht in ungezählten Staaten, ist ein am 14. September 2001 bei alleiniger Gegenstimme von Barbara Lee durch den Kongress gejagter und, zumindest in der Geschichte der Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika, präzedenzloser Gesetzestext: die “Authorization for Use of Military Force”.
Hier dessen gerade einmal 60 Worte und keinerlei zeitliche oder räumliche Einschränkung enthaltende Wirkungstext, beschlossen am 14.09.2001 von beiden Kammern des Kongresses, Repräsentantenhaus und Senat:
Putin played double game with Israel over Syria, Trump‘s former national security advisor says
In one case, McMaster recalls sidelining Netanyahu about his close relationship with Putin at the Munich Security Conference in 2018, where he voiced frustration at Netanyahu over his “hedging approach” to Russia.
“Prime Minister, you know that Putin is using a bait and switch – baiting you with the promise to curtail Iran’s presence and influence in Syria while actually enabling Iran’s proxies on your borders,” McMaster said he told Netanyahu, who sat next to him to confer about a speech he would give mentioning Hezbollah.
“Netanyahu smiled and said he had better return to his seat,” McMaster wrote.
After meeting Herzog, UK’s Cameron says it’s clear Israel will respond to Iran attack
British Foreign Minister David Cameron said Wednesday that it was clear Israel had made a decision to respond to Iran’s unprecedented weekend drone and missile attack and he hoped the retaliation would be carried out in a way that minimized escalation.
Joint Statement from the Leaders of the United States and the Republic of Iraq
The two leaders expressed their commitment to the ongoing Higher Military Commission (HMC) process and its results, and the three working groups that will assess: the continued threat from ISIS, operational and environmental requirements, and bolstering Iraq’s security force capabilities. The two leaders affirmed they would review these factors to determine when and how the mission of the Global Coalition in Iraq would end, and transition in an orderly manner to enduring bilateral security partnerships, in accordance with Iraq’s Constitution and the U.S.-Iraq Strategic Framework Agreement.
US, Iraq agree on talks for withdrawal of US-led coalition from region
„The two leaders affirmed they would review these factors to determine when and how the mission of the Global Coalition in Iraq would end,“ the statement noted.
According to AP, the objective would be to transform talks into a bilateral agreement that could still keep a few US troops in Iraq, which already exist as 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 in Syria as part of the coalition, knowing that in Syria they are officially considered occupation forces.
US said to believe Israel won’t strike Iran directly, will focus on proxies instead
(Today, 1:03 pm)
Noting that the US’s assessment is based on conversations with Israeli officials prior to the attack and that Israel’s approach may since have shifted, four US officials told NBC that the lack of serious damage caused by Tehran may lead Jerusalem to seek a less aggressive response.
Instead of directly striking Iran in response — which Israel’s allies have warned runs the risk of sending the region spiraling into an all-out war — the officials told NBC that Israel may strike Iran’s proxies, such as its militias in Syria or the Hezbollah terror group in Lebanon.
Media In Tehran Accuse Russia, Syria Of Betraying IRGC
(10.04.2024)
In an editorial on April 8, Masih Mohajeri, the influential managing editor of Jomhouri Eslami daily, a newspaper that was founded by Ali Khamenei in 1979, asked: „Why Russia, which controls the Syrian airspace does not prevent air strikes on Iranian targets in Syria?“ Also implicating Syria and possibly Iranian infiltrators in tipping off the Israelis, Mohajeri wrote: „We have had too many losses in Syria during the past months and this is certainly because of the treason by infiltrators.“
Since December, Israel has eliminated 18 high ranking IRGC officers in Syria, in what appears to be a systematic campaign to limit the danger of Iranian proxies on its borders.
Sie wissen von der Bundeswehr-Beteiligung an der Kriegsflotte im Persischen Golf, oder?
(3. August 2021)
24. Juni 2019: Der damalige U.S.-Außenminister Mike Pompeo fordert eine „globale Koalition“ gegen den Iran. passenderweise vorgetragen bei einem Blitzbesuch Pompeos in Saudi-Arabien.
4. August 2019: Ich lege mich fest und prognostiziere, dass „Bundeswehr-Marine .. noch vor Weihnachten unter Oberbefehl einer ausländischen Macht in den Persischen Golf entsandt“ wird.
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20. Januar 2020: Monate vor der Ausrufung des bis heute andauernden Ausnahmezustands und bereits im Windschatten von SARS II („Coronavirus“), beschließen die Staatsführungen von Frankreich, Deutschland, Griechenland, Italien, der Niederlande, Belgien, Dänemark und Portugal in einer gemeinsamen Erklärung die „European-led maritime surveillance mission in the Strait of Hormuz“ (E.M.A.S.O.H.), von der Sie und 80 Millionen Andere bis heute nie gehört haben.
Netanyahu Must Go
(09.04.2024)
Israel must destroy Hamas as a military and political force in the territory while minimizing harm to civilians. It must do what it can to rescue its hostages without jeopardizing the overriding goal of destroying Hamas. It must, by diplomacy or force, push Hezbollah back from Lebanon’s southern border, so that 60,000 Israelis can return safely to their homes in the north. It must take the battle directly, as it did last week in Damascus, to Hamas’s and Hezbollah’s patrons, whether in Syria, Qatar or Iran.
And for all of that to happen effectively, Benjamin Netanyahu must go.